And what is to be done if the CranioSacral System isn’t functioning well, you ask…?
There a few broad areas of focus a CranioSacral Therapist uses when treating:
> We look to see if there is abnormal tension at the Cranial Base (the juncture of the bottom of the skull with the first vertebrae in the neck, a/k/a the Atlas Bone or “C1″). Releasing tensions in this area and having “C1″ properly positioned is important to having optimal flow of fluids and nervous system impulses move from the CNS to/from the rest of our body.
> Of equal importance is releasing tensions from the Sacrum, as the Sacrum is the distant end of the the Central Nervous System, and any tensions here can cause communication blockages elsewhere in the body.
> Once tensions are released at the top (C1) of the spine, and the bottom (Sacrum), any other tensions along the spine tend to self-correct.
> We also focus on finding and releasing any tensions or restrictions that keep the bones of the skull moving properly. This is very important, as tensions around the brain can cause a wide array of symptoms to arise, from minor to seriously debilitating.
> And, as we learned last month, resolving tensions and restrictions elsewhere in our body, where our bodies are not “rolling” well, is another major focus of treatment. They can put a drag on the the CranioSacral System, thus impede the proper functioning of the Central Nervous System.
The CranioSacral System…
We’re familiar with many of the systems in our body, such as the digestive system, the cardiovascular system, the nervous system, etc.
Each of us also has a CranioSacral System, a vital, yet somewhat unfamiliar system, which is what we’re going to explore a bit today, along with a general overview of treatment.
So let’s get to it…
We’re going to begin with a brief about the Central Nervous System, because the Central Nervous System and the CranioSacral System are so intricately intertwined.
Our Central Nervous System (CNS) is comprised of the brain and the spinal cord. Our CNS is the “command-control center” of our bodies. The CNS controls and executes every function, thought, and process that goes on—EVERYTHING that happens in our body is directed by our Central Nervous System.
And it’s our CranioSacral System that provides the environment for our Central Nervous System to function optimally in our bodies.
So if our CranioSacral System isn’t functioning well, then our Central Nervous System doesn’t function well – and that means our body doesn’t function well. Which could mean pain, disease, illness, fatigue, depression, or a host of other symptoms that could arise.
Ok, so now that we understand how our CranioSacral System and our Central Nervous System go hand-in-hand together, lets learn more about the CranioSacral System itself…
Between our brain and our skull bones are layers of membranes, known as dural membranes or meninges. The membranes extend through the bottom of our skull down along the spinal cord to our tailbone.
The membranes are attached to our skull bones and along the bones of our spine. Inside the membranes flows a fluid, known as cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF for short.
The CSF flows back and forth from the top of our head to our tailbone, as we learned last month. The CSF does a number of things, including:
> Protects the brain by acting as a cushion, keeps the brain bouyant to reduce pressure at the base, and along with the vertebra, protects our spinal cord from injury;
> Brings vital nutrients to all the cells of the Central Nervious System (brain and spinal cord);
> Bathes and lubricates the CNS cells to prevent friction or short-circuiting of nerve impulses;
> Removes waste products and other potentially harmful substances away from the CNS;
> Carries communication signals via hormones and other substances throughout all the cells of the Central Nervous System.
So now we can see how vitally important the CranioSacral System is to the health and functioning of our body.
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